Thank you to all the brave men and women who have served their country in the military and continue to do so today. Thank you also to those who have passed on, whether it be on the battlefield or in their own kitchens.

I am totally cool with thanking people for gifts, for those who hold the door for me, for all sorts of situations.

I am not cool with thanking a store for MY purchase.

But I find it happening every day, several times a day. Because that is how I was trained.

See, my first real job was at a local convenience store gas station. And while that may sound pretty unimportant, back in 1997 they had a woman who spent three days giving me orientation, customer service training, and chain smoking. And I was taught to thank every customer as they left the store, whether they purchased something or just used the bathroom.

Use it properly & use it often. You could just make someone’s day.

I so wish more businesses trained their employees like that today.

Every time I am at a retail store and I complete my payment, the cashier just says nothing to me. There needs to be some closer to the transaction. Handing me my receipt and saying, “Here you go,” is not an appropriate send off.

This is where I usually reflexively say, “Thank you.” I actually had an employee respond with “you’re welcome.” While I give her props for manners, I am the one patronizing their establishment. That should be my line.

My name is actually in the credits of Clerks 2-true story. (Thanks MySpace!)

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I realize cashiers get paid peanuts, have to use broken-down equipment, and are asked to up-sell customers who couldn’t care less. They either are in the position of quantity with slow customers or quality with customers who are in a hurry. Trust me, I’ve been there. But as a customer, my first priority is an accurate transaction. And the second most important thing to me is that I am thanked for my patronage.

I wish businesses would realize that is more desirable and meaningful than another reward card clogging up my wallet. If the employees were trained to do that, I believe they would. When I sell a book, I might even thank someone twice. If they manage to thank me first, I will correct them and say, “No, thank you.” Sometimes it is even in my inscription.

People think if they say the words, it is the same as still having manners in this day and age.

No. The correct person needs to say “please” and then “thank you”. Don’t even get me started on “excuse me”. When you say it with an attitude and are already pushing past me, you have missed the whole point of the phrase. You might as well say “Move, bitch” because that is how you mean it and how I am going to take it. For more on this, click here.

Just me venting. But I feel like other people out there must feel the same way. Is it so bad that for my money I want my goods and a thank you? I don’t think so. I’m not asking for a free cheeseburger or something. Thank yous are free.

My favorite holiday. Thank you from the bottom to the top of my heart for all those who serve our country, past, present, and future. You protect our freedoms we enjoy daily. You are my heroes.

My Dad, World War II veteran

This is my dad, Loren. He was in the Army medical corps in Germany in WWII and drove an ambulance. He was there when they liberated a concentration camp. I never got to meet him, but I am still awfully proud. My mom always says it was the biggest thing in his life. He traveled halfway around the world. And it doesn’t get more momentous than serving during a war.

Thank you for my healthy family. Thank you for my warm and dry house. Thank you for two cars that run. Thank you for the red Jeep Wrangler hardtop I will own someday. Thank you for unemployment checks. Thank you for my husband finding a job he is excited about. Thank you for the human body having two kidneys. I am thankful that my frustration over the disorganization of the medical industry distracts me from my son’s health issue. I am thankful my husband has a 401k that we can dip into. I am thankful for warm fall days. I am thankful I have this blog as an outlet for my feelings and creativity. I am thankful for Strawberry Yogurt Cheerios. I am thankful for baby naps. I am thankful my son is almost one. I am thankful for my family and friends that listen to me vent during difficult times. I am thankful for sunshine and windows. I am thankful I am not sitting behind gray cube walls. I am thankful for wagging tails. I am thankful for all the clothes and toys that have been handed down to my son. I am thankful for diaper pail deodorizers. I am thankful for Tide Free. I am thankful for first train rides and first hockey games. I am thankful that my asbestos friend moved back to Michigan. I am thankful that I have so much to be thankful for.